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'{{about|the Spanish town}} {{Multiple issues| {{Refimprove|date=June 2012}} {{tone|date=March 2014}} {{Expand Spanish|topic=geo|date=June 2012|Chinchón}} }} {{Short description|municipality in Spain}} {{Infobox settlement | name = Chinchón | settlement_type = [[Municipalities of Spain|Municipality]] | official_name = <!-- if different from name --> | native_name = <!-- if different from name --> | image_skyline = Tejados ............. testigos del 2 de mayo (17147370090).jpg | image_alt = | image_caption = | image_flag = Bandera de Chinchon.svg | image_shield = Coat of Arms of Chinchón.svg | nickname = | motto = | image_map ={{Maplink|frame=yes|plain=y|frame-width=255|frame-height=255|zoom=10|frame-lat=40.140399|frame-long=-3.420889|type=shape-inverse|stroke-width=1|stroke-color=#333333|id=Q915395|title=Chinchón}} | map_caption = | pushpin_map = Spain#Spain Community of Madrid | pushpin_label_position = | pushpin_map_caption = | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = [[Spain]] | subdivision_type1 = [[Autonomous communities of Spain|Region]] | subdivision_name1 = [[Community of Madrid]] | seat = | coordinates = {{coord|40|8|22|N|3|25|35|W|region:ES_type:city|display=inline,title}} | coordinates_footnotes = | elevation_m = 753 | elevation_min_m = | elevation_max_m = | area_footnotes = | area_total_km2 = 115.91 | established_title = <!-- Founded --> | established_date = | population_as_of = {{Spain metadata Wikidata|population_as_of}} | population_footnotes = {{Spain metadata Wikidata|population_footnotes}} | population_total = {{Spain metadata Wikidata|population_total}} | population_demonym = Chinchonete /-a | population_note = | population_density_km2 = auto | blank_name_sec1 = [[Languages of Spain|Official language(s)]] | blank_info_sec1 = | timezone = [[Central European Time|CET]] | utc_offset = +1 | timezone_DST = [[Central European Summer Time|CEST]] | utc_offset_DST = +2 | postal_code_type = [[List of postal codes in Spain|Postal code]] | postal_code = 28370 | area_code_type = [[Telephone numbers in Spain|Dialing code]] | area_code = | leader_title = | leader_name = | leader_party = | website = {{official website|http://www.ciudad-chinchon.com}} | footnotes = }} '''Chinchón''' ({{IPA-es|tʃinˈtʃon}}) is a town and municipality in the [[Community of Madrid]], [[Spain]]. Located 50&nbsp;km south-east of the city of [[Madrid]], the municipality covers an area of 115.91&nbsp;km². {{As of|2018}}, it has a population of 5,239. Its historic centre, with a notable main square, was declared a [[Major Historical and Cultural Site Protected at the National Level|Heritage Site]] in 1974.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ssweb.seap.minhap.es/REL/frontend/inicio/municipios/13/13428/25|work=Datos del Registro de Entidades Locales|publisher=Ministerio de Hacienda y Administraciones Públicas|title=Municipios}}</ref> ==Heritage== [[Image:Chinchón-Castillo.jpg|left|thumb|upright=|Castle of Chinchón]] The ''Plaza Mayor'' is roughly circular, surrounded by 15th-17th century galleried houses and [[café]]s. The church of Nuestra Señora de la Asunción was built in the 15th and 16th centuries. It contains a fine early work by [[Goya]] depicting the Assumption of the Virgin. There is also a [[medieval]] [[castle]], which however is somewhat damaged and also closed to the public. Its last actual use was as a distillery producing ''Anís de Chinchón'' known commercially as [[Anisette]], an anise-flavored high-alcohol liqueur which the town is noted for. Though small, Chinchón is known for its festivals, a big draw for people from nearby Madrid, and those visiting it. Two of the biggest are the Chinchón Festival de anis y vino, a celebration of locally distilled anisette and wine, which takes place at the end of March, and the October garlic festival. In October of each year the central plaza is the site of a temporary [[bullring]], with the profits from the bullfighting going to charitable causes. [[Image:Plaza de toros de Chinchón.jpg|thumb|center|upright=3|Plaza Mayor of Chinchón]] ==History== {{See also|Count of Chinchón}} [[Image:Goya's brother house Chinchion.JPG|thumb|left|200px|Goya's brother's house in Chinchón]] === First settlements and foundation of the town === The fertile valley of the [[Tajuña]] river, and the [[La Alcarria|Alcarria]] plains that dominate it from high up, have been inhabited from the [[Neolithic]] period, with multiple remains found in the many natural caves emerging from the slopes either side of the valley. [[Iberians|Iberian]] villages and necropolis were formed from around the 6th century, as demonstrated e.g. by the excavations of Cerro del Salitral.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Official tourism website of the city council of Chinchon|url=http://www.ciudad-chinchon.com/turismo/en/cultura-sociedad/historia/historia-chinchon.php|access-date=2021-08-10|website=www.ciudad-chinchon.com}}</ref> In [[Roman Empire|Roman]] times farming became a well organized activity, judging by the roads and irrigation system that remain. The area was controlled from the military garrison of nearby [[Titulcia]], which allowed for multiple small settlements to sprout along the valley and on the edges of the plains.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Carrasco|first=Manuel|date=2008-11-15|title=EL EREMITA: CHINCHON BAJO LA DOMINACION ROMANA|url=http://manolo-eleremita.blogspot.com/2008/11/chinchon-bajo-la-dominacion-romana.html|url-status=live|access-date=2021-08-10|website=EL EREMITA}}</ref> The area was part of Islamic Spain or [[Al-Andalus]] for three and a half centuries, from the first conquest in the 8th Century until the mid 12th century.<ref>{{Cite web|title=La Historia de Chinchón|url=https://www.turismo-chinchon.info/historia.htm|access-date=2021-08-10|website=www.turismo-chinchon.info}}</ref> The town of Chinchón itself was founded in this period, approximately in the year 1000. It was a small citadel at the end of the ridge running along the northern part of the village of our days, above the present day [[Plaza mayor|Plaza Mayo]]<nowiki/>r. Some of the ramparts are still visible, although it is difficult to distinguish the original stone walls from later reconstructions, or even from earlier Roman works.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Carrasco|first=Manuel|date=2008-11-15|title=EL EREMITA: CHINCHON BAJO LA DOMINACION ROMANA|url=http://manolo-eleremita.blogspot.com/2008/11/chinchon-bajo-la-dominacion-romana.html|url-status=live|access-date=2021-08-10|website=EL EREMITA}}</ref> Chinchón became a part of [[Castile (historical region)|Castile]] in October 1139 when [[Alfonso VII of León and Castile|Alphonse VII]] took it for his Christian Kingdom.<ref>{{Cite web|title=La Historia de Chinchón|url=https://www.turismo-chinchon.info/historia.htm|access-date=2021-08-10|website=www.turismo-chinchon.info}}</ref> Initially it was a subsidiary locality of Segovia, governed by a medieval organization of Segovia nobility, the ''Quiñones'', a combination of military order and agricultural enterprise designed to control frontier lands while keeping them in production.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Carrasco|first=Manuel|date=2008-09-08|title=EL EREMITA: LOS CABALLEROS QUIÑONEROS.|url=http://manolo-eleremita.blogspot.com/2008/09/los-caballeros-quioneros.html|url-status=live|access-date=2021-08-10|website=EL EREMITA}}</ref> === From Dominion to Head of the County === In 1480, it was granted as a Dominion to the Marquises of Moya, Andrés de Cabrera and [[Beatriz de Bobadilla]], who were closely related to the [[Catholic Monarchs of Spain|Monarchs Isabella and Ferdinan]]<nowiki/>d. They built a castle and a palace, where they were visited multiple times by the royal family,<ref>{{Cite web|title=Web Turística Oficial del Ayuntamiento de Chinchón|url=http://www.ciudad-chinchon.com/turismo/cultura-sociedad/historia/historia-chinchon.php|access-date=2021-08-11|website=www.ciudad-chinchon.com}}</ref> which attracted a court and boosted the development of the town.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Rodríguez Guillén|first=Santiago|url=https://www.bibliotecaspublicas.es/dam/jcr:200b1b3c-1b1a-4a4b-86e6-8bee7eeaf73a/Se%C3%B1orio_Chinchon.pdf|title=Los orígenes del Señorío de Chinchón: de la Tierra de Segovia al Marquesado de Moya|publisher=Ayuntamiento de Chinchón|year=2011}}</ref> In 1520, during the [[Revolt of the Comuneros]], the Dominion was made a County, which brought Chinchón to a higher level of development through the investments made by nobility. Many of the larger constructions that we see today were built within the first hundred years after this date. The main church that now dominates the village was concluded as part of the Count's Palace complex. The castle was rebuilt from the ground, after severe damage during the revolt. The monastery of the [[Poor Clares|Clarisas]] was endowed and built. In 1629 the Counts were made [[Viceroyalty of Peru|Viceroys of Per]]<nowiki/>u, which attracted a larger court to Chinchón. Many of the Italian and Flemish names that are still present in the population, such as ''Dusmet'' or ''del Nero'' go back to that period. During their viceroyalty, a remedy for malaria was found in Peru (where malaria was not endemic), [[quinine]]. This was an extract from the bark of a tree, which was named [[Cinchona|Chinchona]] in honour of the Countess, who allegedly had tried it on herself to recover from the illness. In 1706 the County was directly involved in the [[War of the Spanish Succession]]. King [[Philip V of Spain|Phillip V]], the father of the Count, visited the city staying in the house now called ''Casa de la Cadena'' (House of the Chain) opposite the [[Parador]] - the chain is a traditional sign marking houses where a king has stayed. The population gathered on the main square and acclaimed the King, declaring full allegiance. Five months later the opposing side stormed and looted the town, finding strong resistance. In the end, Phillip V was the victor of that war, and thanked Chinchón by establishing its motto ''The very Noble and Very Loyal'' as well as facilitating investments for reconstruction. === Decadence and the Napoleonic wars === In 1808 the city was stormed and looted again, this time by the [[Napoleonic Wars|Napoleonic]] troops during the [[Spanish War of Independence]].The parish church was destroyed, leaving the empty space next to its tower, which still stands today. The palace was mostly destroyed, with the exception of the church, which currently acts as parish church - the theatre now stands on part of the palace grounds. The castle was severely damaged, losing its first floor, as can be seen today. The Counts had already lost interest in Chinchón before the war, having moved to their other domains in [[Boadilla del Monte]], and this destruction seemed to be fatal for the future of the city, with no investments made by its nobility over several decades. === Reconstruction by civil society === A new development occurred in 1845, when all the producers of wine, vinegar and alcohol in the municipality created a Society called ''Sociedad de Cosecheros''. This cooperative entity was successful as an enterprise, winning a Diploma of Honour and a Gold Medal in the [[Exposition Universelle (1889)|Exposition Universelle of 1889]] and [[Exposition Universelle (1900)|1900]] respectively, and becoming Royal Purveyors to [[Maria Christina of Austria|Queen Regent Maria Cristina]]. The Society engaged in a series of public works that brought back development and culture, this time on the basis of productive activities and run by civil society. They created infrastructure for water, building fountains for farmers, but also as picnic areas. They introduced public lighting, sewage, and contributed to the financing of the railway to Madrid, which was in operation until the 1960s. Beyond infrastructural works, major works of the Society included the restoration of the main square, completing some of the buildings and giving it the formal function of an arena, as well as building the Theatre on the grounds of the former palace. This brought new prosperity to the town, which in 1916 was declared a city by King Alphonse XIII on the basis of its agricultural and cultural development.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Web Turística Oficial del Ayuntamiento de Chinchón|url=http://www.ciudad-chinchon.com/turismo/cultura-sociedad/historia/historia-chinchon.php|access-date=2021-08-11|website=www.ciudad-chinchon.com}}</ref> ==In film== In the 1950s Chinchón started to attract film-makers and, as of 2021, the [[IMDb|Internet Movie Database]] lists 30 feature films mentioning Chinchón as their location.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Filming Location Matching "Chinchón, Madrid, Spain" (Sorted by Popularity Ascending)|url=http://www.imdb.com/search/title/?locations=Chinch%C3%B3n,+Madrid,+Spain|access-date=2021-05-17|website=IMDb}}</ref> A first major production was the 1953 french-spanish film ''[[La belle de Cadix]]'', where the Castilian town was portrayed as an Andalusian village. Two years later, in ''[[Around the World in Eighty Days (1956 film)|Around the World in Eighty Days]]'', the town was the location of the Mexican part of the journey, with a comic bullfight scene set in its main square, featuring [[Cantinflas]] as an unlikely [[Bullfighter|matador]], and most of the actual population of Chinchón as the audience. In 1961 a crowd of 7.000 local extras were recruited in Chinchón - and the neighbouring villages - for the [[Sermon on the Mount]] scene in [[Samuel Bronston]]'s production of ''[[King of Kings (1961 film)|King of Kings]]'', directed by [[Nicholas Ray]], shot on the rocky hills around the Castilian town. In [[Mike Todd|Michael Todd]]'s [[Circus World (film)|Circus World]] (1963) the [[American frontier|Wild West]] scenes were filmed in Chinchón, while the Europe scenes were shot in the nearby city of [[Aranjuez]], as well as in Madrid and Barcelona. [[Orson Welles]] first arrived in Chinchón in 1965 to film several scenes of ''[[Chimes at Midnight]]''. He rented a house and lived in the small town for long periods. The following year he started filming ''[[The Immortal Story]]'' in Chinchon, which he combined with [[Pedraza, Segovia|Pedraza]] to portray old [[Macau]], an Asian location with a strong resemblance to southern European cities, given its Portuguese origin. Spanish film makers have also chosen this town for a long list of titles, including [[Carlos Saura]]'s ''[[Deprisa, Deprisa|Deprisa deprisa]]'', [[Pedro Almodóvar|Pedro Almodovar]]'s [[Matador (film)|Matador]] or [[Alejandro Amenábar|Alejandro Amenabar]]'s ''[[While at War]].'' In May 2021 it was announced that [[Wes Anderson]] had started building a huge diorama set in Chinchón, and that a large crew would be spending several months in the Spanish town to produce his upcoming film.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Belinchón|first=Gregorio|date=2021-05-14|title=Wes Anderson rodará su nueva película en Madrid|url=https://elpais.com/cultura/2021-05-14/wes-anderson-rodara-su-nueva-pelicula-en-madrid.html|access-date=2021-05-17|website=EL PAÍS|language=es}}</ref> ==See also== * [[Culture of the Community of Madrid#Chinchón]] == References == {{reflist}} == External links == * [http://www.uniquespain.com/chinchon.html Chinchon visitor information] English * [http://www.ciudad-chinchon.com/turismo/en/index.php/ Chinchon Official Tourism Site] English * [http://turismomadrid.es/es/descubre/chinchon.html/ Chinchon Official Regional Tourism Site] Spanish * [http://www.pasaporteblog.com/chinchon-pequeno-pueblo-anclado-en-el-tiempo-madrid/ Photos Chinchon] Spanish {{Municipalities in the Community of Madrid}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Chinchon}} [[Category:Municipalities in the Community of Madrid]] {{Authority control}} {{Madrid-geo-stub}}'